An asteroid exploded into a huge fireball over the English Channel last night as it hurtled towards Earth.

Stargazers were delighted by the spectacle and shared footage of the one-metre rock which could be spotted above Kent shortly before 3am.

The International Meteor Organization told before the object entered the atmosphere it would create a "fireball" effect.

And last night it created a shooting star and an explosion in the air, which is known as an airburst.

The European Space Agency tweeted the object – which has been dubbed Sar2667 – had been detected and was expected to safely enter Earth’s atmosphere over northern France between 2.50am to 3.03am GMT.

It is just the seventh time an asteroid impact has ever been predicted before it happens as footage showed a bright ball of light travelling across the sky.

"A sign of the rapid advancements in global asteroid detection capabilities," the agency wrote.

"In the area? Look out for a #ShootingStar."

Nasa says asteroids are small, rocky objects which orbit the sun, often described as a minor planet.